Do people go to church during menstruation? What not to do in an Orthodox church

16.10.2019

There are many different opinions on this topic. Some clergy say that during menstruation you can go to church. But most of them claim that it is forbidden. Many women are interested in knowing what time during critical days you can go to church, and is it possible at all. Since the time of the Old Testament, much has changed, now almost no one blames a woman for having such a natural process as regulations. But in many temples there are restrictions and rules of conduct for women who decide to attend church during menstruation.

Is it possible to go to church with menstruation

Many women are interested in the question of whether it is possible to go to church with menstruation. Nowadays, more and more clergymen agree that women who have critical days are allowed to enter the church. However, some rituals are recommended to be postponed until the end of menstruation. These include baptism and marriage. Also, many priests do not recommend touching icons, crosses and other church attributes during this period. This rule is only a recommendation, not a strict prohibition. How exactly to act - the woman herself has the right to decide. In some churches, a clergyman may refuse to conduct a confession or a wedding, but a woman has the right to go to another church if she wishes, where the priest will not refuse her. This is not considered a sin, since the Bible itself does not disclose any prohibition associated with the presence of critical days for women.

The rules of the Russian Orthodox Church do not prohibit girls from visiting the temple during the regular. There are some restrictions that priests strongly recommend to adhere to. Restrictions apply to Communion, during menstruation it is better to refuse it. The only exception to the rule is the presence of any serious illness.

Many clergy say that you should not avoid going to church on critical days. Menstruation is a natural process in the female body, which should not interfere with being in the temple. Other priests share this opinion. They also claim that menstruation is a natural process that is conditioned by nature. They do not consider a woman during this period "dirty" and "unclean". A strict ban on visiting the temple remained in the distant past, in the days of the Old Testament.

What was before - the Old Testament

Previously, there was a serious ban on attending church during menstruation. This is because the Old Testament considers menstruation in girls as a manifestation of "impurity." AT Orthodox faith these prohibitions were not written anywhere, but there was also no refutation of them. That is why many still doubt whether it is possible to come to church with menstruation.

The Old Testament considers critical days as a violation of human nature. Relying on it, it is unacceptable to come to church during menstrual bleeding. Being in the temple with any bleeding wounds was also considered strictly forbidden.

How to proceed anyway

Everyone must decide for themselves whether it is possible to go to church with menstruation. The Bible does not reflect a categorical prohibition, it is not considered in detail this question. Therefore, a woman has the right to do as she sees fit.

Before going to Holy place it is better to decide when is the best time to go to church. Many will not be able to visit the temple in the first days of the onset of menstruation, but this has nothing to do with any prohibition. This is due to the fact that in most women, the onset of menstruation is accompanied by severe pain, general malaise, nausea and weakness. To be in such a state in the temple will seem difficult to many. A woman may become ill, it is recommended to avoid such situations. It is better to postpone going to church until the end of critical days or until the moment when the condition returns to normal.

On the eve of the great religious feast of Holy Pascha with new force there are conversations on the topic: is it possible to go to church on time. No one source can find a single clear answer. It is not written in books, there is no confirmation, record or other memo indicating the existence of such a ban, but behind the scenes it exists almost everywhere. Even the ministers of the church cannot give accurate information. There are many interpretations on this matter with different opinions.

Without knowing the essence of the root cause of the appearance of a belief, it is difficult for a woman to consciously decide how important it is to observe it.

It is believed that God's temple can be defiled by three things:

dead body;
fatal disease;
expiration.

Read in this article

So why can't you go to church during your period?

Where did the controversy come from?

In the Old Testament, an unambiguous attitude is expressed, which echoes the traditions of paganism - a woman during menstruation is unclean and she should not be in the temple. This was explained by three reasons, the most common of which is hygiene standards.

But the other two are purely spiritual, philosophical. According to the Old Testament, Adam and Eve fell into sin and lost the immortality that God had prepared for them. Since that time human nature has become damaged, women's menstruation is a confirmation and a reminder of this fact. Priests, strictly adhering to the norm that in God's temple nothing should testify to mortality, the sinfulness of a person, they forbade women with menstruation to go to church.

The theme of death is also reflected in the third reason, according to which a dead body cannot defile the church. And menstruation in a woman is regarded as the rejection of a dead egg, a miscarriage of a failed human embryo.

In the days of the New Testament, the understanding of the divine belonging of man is changing. Jesus Christ, having accepted death for all human sins and resurrected again, denies the importance physical body in man's desire for union with God. In religious perception, only the concepts of the soul, spirituality, the Holy Spirit remain. Therefore, natural the physical state a woman, as the saying goes, “this is how the Lord created her,” cannot be an obstacle to prayer or church attendance. This is confirmed by the words from the teaching of the Apostle Paul, who affirms that in man, created by the Lord, there is nothing unclean and "every creature of God is good." But the lack of a specific explanation on the topic of the menstruating woman does not allow us to put an end to the disclosure of this topic in the New Testament.

So, at the junction of two directions of religious views, this dispute arose.

All for and against

It is believed that the belief that one cannot go to church during menstruation has been preserved by inertia from the past Old Believers. Like, according to the teaching of the older generation, young women also preferred to adhere to this tradition.

But after all, disputes about whether it is possible for a woman to visit the temple on critical days have been going on throughout the entire time of the existence of Christianity, tying it to the term "impurities". By the way, this concept is used in other cases. It is believed that the mother should cleanse herself after childbirth. If a boy was born, then this period is 40 days, and if a girl - at 60. In addition, a man is also considered “unclean” during ejaculation.

In the Holy Books one can find statements supporting this prohibition. For example, St. Dionysius of Alexandria in the second rule says that women during purification cannot enter the holy temple and take communion.

And St. George the Dialogist argued that women should be allowed to attend church during menstruation, since they are so created by nature and are not to blame for this.

There is considerable controversy surrounding the story of the bleeding woman in the New Testament. It is said that she touched Jesus' clothes while he was healing others on the street, and was healed from it. In addition, the Savior himself did not reject her, noticing this touch, but, on the contrary, encouraged her with the words “Be braver, daughter!” This can be cited as evidence that a woman can turn to the Lord for help and blessing. But this opinion is opposed by the argument that it concerned only the clothes of Jesus, and not his body. This means that not everything that is usual is allowed to an “unclean” woman.

Some clarity was introduced quite recently at the Bishops' Conference, which took place on February 2-3 of this year. On it, relying on a number of church canons, the generally accepted practice was fixed, which prescribes to refrain from communion "in a state of female impurity."

And it's no longer a superstition, no ancient tradition, but a clearly written rule adopted by a meeting of bishops Orthodox Russia which every godly woman must adhere to. It is worth noting that it is forbidden to perform only the most intimate rites, but it is not indicated that one cannot attend church.

Now almost everyone agrees that women should be allowed to visit the temple on critical days, but if she, out of reverence, tries to avoid such situations herself, then she can be blamed for her personal decision.

What is allowed to a woman on "critical" days

Having received some clarity on the question of whether it is possible to go to church with menstruation, an open discussion remains: what can be done in a holy temple in such a situation.

Many are inclined to believe that almost nothing. It is forbidden to touch icons, holy books, light candles. It is believed that the temple, where only the Bloodless Sacrifice of the Savior is performed, cannot be defiled by the outflow of blood.

Modern hygiene products practically exclude the possibility of a woman's blood getting outside. Thus, some clergy recognize the opportunity to behave in church during menstruation, as usual. In any case, it is always better to seek blessings from your mentor and follow his advice.

People often ask: “Is it possible to read prayers during menstruation?”. There are no restrictions here, on the contrary. Churchmen argue that if a woman does not pray on “critical” days, then, against her will, she admits an unclean spirit to herself. So nothing can stop prayer.

Is it worth it to perform the sacraments and rituals

The Church has a stricter attitude towards the performance of such rites:

What is undesirable to do during menstruation: sports, sex, tests, diet, drugs, alcohol, swimming, sauna, bath. ... Is it possible to bathe in the bath during menstruation?

Many believing women are wondering: "Is it possible to go to church during menstruation." This article will help answer this question from the point of view of different religions and the modern views of the church on this issue.

And now let's dwell on this in more detail.

Menstruation is a common occurrence in the life of every woman, which is due to the physiological processes that take place in her body. However, as history shows, the period of menstruation has long been treated differently than any other physiological process. Many cultures and religions have special treatment to menstruation, especially to the first. This explains the presence of various kinds of prohibitions at this time. As far as Christianity is concerned, going to church is a regular occurrence for a believer. Christian women often face the problem of being able to attend church on menstrual bleeding days.

This happens primarily because public opinion on this matter varies greatly among themselves. Some people believe that a woman is "unclean" during this period and do not recommend visiting the temple. Others tend to think that no natural manifestation of the body can separate a person from God. In this case, it is logical to refer to the formed system of canons concerning the behavior of Christians. But she does not give unequivocal recommendations.

In the earliest days of Christianity, believers made their own decisions. Some people followed the traditions of their ancestors, specifically their family. Much also depended on the opinion of the priest of the church to which people went. There were also those who, out of theological convictions and for other reasons, adhered to the point of view that during the period of menstruation it is better not to take communion and not to touch the shrines, so as not to soil them. A very strict prohibition was observed in the medieval period.

There were also categories of women who made communion, regardless of the presence of a period of menstrual bleeding. However, exact data regarding the attitude of the ministers of Orthodox churches to the behavior of women in the church during menstruation has not been recorded. Christians in ancient times, on the contrary, gathered every week and even under the threat of death served liturgy in their homes and took communion. There is no mention of the participation of women during menstruation.

Is it possible to go to church during menstruation according to the Old and New Testaments

In the Old Testament, the period of menstrual bleeding in women is considered a manifestation of "impurity." It is with this scripture that all the prejudices and prohibitions imposed on women during menstruation are connected. In Orthodoxy, the introduction of these prohibitions was not observed. But they were also not canceled. This gives rise to differences of opinion.

The influence of the culture of paganism cannot be denied, but the idea of external impurity for a person was revised and began to symbolize the truths of theology in Orthodoxy. So, in the Old Testament, impurity was tied to the theme of death, which, after the fall of Adam and Eve, took possession of humanity. Concepts such as death, illness and bleeding speak of deep damage to human nature.

For mortality and impurity, a person was deprived of divine society, the opportunity to stay close to God, that is, people were expelled to earth. It is this attitude towards the period of menstruation that is observed in the Old Testament.

Most people consider that what leaves the body through certain human organs is impure. They perceive it as something superfluous and completely unnecessary. These things include discharge from the nose, ears, phlegm when coughing, and more.

Menstruation in women is the cleansing of the uterus from tissues that have already become dead. Such purification occurs in the understanding of Christianity as the expectation and hope for further conception and, of course, the emergence of a new life.

The Old Testament says that the soul of every person is in his blood. Blood during menstruation was considered doubly terrible, as it contains dead tissue organism. It was argued that the woman is cleansed by being freed from this blood.

Many people believe (referring to the Old Testament) that it is impossible to go to church during such a period. People attribute this to the fact that the woman is responsible for the failed pregnancy, blaming her for this. And the presence of exuding dead tissue desecrates the church.

In the New Testament, views are revised. physical phenomena, which have sacred and special significance in the Old Testament, no longer seem valuable. The emphasis shifts to the spiritual component of life.

The New Testament tells that Jesus healed a woman who was menstruating. As if she touched the savior, but this was not a sin at all.

The Savior, not thinking that he might be condemned, touched a menstruating woman and healed her. Thus, he praised her for her strong faith and devotion. Such behavior would have been certainly condemned earlier, and in Judaism it was considered to be equated with disrespect for the saint. It was this entry that caused a change in interpretations about the possibility of visiting the church and other holy places during menstruation.

According to the Old Testament, not only the woman herself during the critical days is not clean, but also any person who has touched her (Leviticus 15:24). According to Leviticus 12, similar restrictions applied to the woman who gave birth.

In ancient times, it was not only the Jews who gave such prescriptions. Pagan cults also forbade menstruating women from performing various temple duties. Moreover, communication with them during this period was recognized as a defilement of oneself.

In the New Testament, the Virgin Mary adhered to the requirements of ritual purity. It is said that she lived in the temple from two to twelve years old, and then she was betrothed to Joseph and she was sent to live in his house so that she could not defile the "storehouse of the Lord" (VIII, 2).

Later, Jesus Christ, preaching, said that evil intentions come out of the heart and this defiles us. His sermons spoke of the influence of conscience on "purity" or "impurity." The Lord does not rebuke bleeding women.

Similarly, the apostle Paul did not support the Jewish view of the rules of the Old Testament on issues of this kind of purity, he preferred to avoid prejudice.

Jesus Christ in the New Testament believes that the most important concept of ritual purity is transferred to the spiritual level, not the material one. In comparison with pure spirituality, all bodily manifestations are considered insignificant and not so important. Accordingly, menstruation is no longer considered a manifestation of impurity.

Currently, there is no fundamental ban on church attendance by women during menstruation.

In the chapters of the Testament, the disciples often repeated statements that the faith is defiled by evil coming from the human heart, and not at all by bodily secretions. In the New Testament Special attention they emphasize the internal, spiritual state of a person, and not physical processes independent of the will of a person.

Is there a ban on visiting a holy place today

The Catholic Church expresses the opinion that the natural process in the body can in no way be an obstacle to visiting the temple or performing rituals. The Orthodox Church, on the other hand, cannot come to a consensus. Opinions vary and sometimes even contradictory.

The modern Bible does not tell us about the strictest ban on church attendance. This holy book confirms that the process of menstruation is a completely natural phenomenon of earthly existence. It should not become a hindrance to a full-fledged church life and impede belief and the conduct of the necessary rites.

Currently, there is no fundamental ban on church attendance by women during menstruation. The shedding of human blood is prohibited in temples. If, for example, a person in a temple hurts his finger and the wound is bleeding, then you should leave until the bleeding stops. Otherwise, it is believed that the temple is defiled and it will need to be consecrated again. From this it follows that during menstruation, when using reliable hygiene products (tampons and pads), you can visit the temple, since bloodshed will not occur.

But the opinions of the ministers of the temple on the issue of what is allowed during menstruation and what is not allowed to be done in the church are different and even contradictory.

Some say that such women cannot do anything in a holy place. You can come in, pray and you need to leave. Some clergy who hold radical views on this issue consider church attendance by a woman with monthly inappropriate behavior. During the Middle Ages, there was a strict ban on women visiting the temple on such days.

Others argue that menstruation should not affect behavior in any way and that it is necessary to fully “live the church life”: pray, light candles, not refuse confessions and communions.

Both sides have evidence of their judgments, although they are controversial. Supporters of the first judgment mainly rely on the Old Testament, saying that previously bleeding women were at a distance from the people and the temple. But they don't explain why. After all, women then were afraid to desecrate a holy place with blood, due to the lack of the necessary hygiene products.

The latter insist that in ancient times women attended churches. For example, the Greeks (in this they differ from the Slavs) did not consecrate churches, which means there is nothing to desecrate in them. In such churches, women (not paying attention to monthly bleeding) applied themselves to icons and led a normal church life.

It was often mentioned that the woman is not to blame, that she has to periodically endure such a physiological state. And yet, in the past, the girls of Russia tried to avoid appearances in churches during such special periods.

Some saints spoke out about the fact that nature endowed the female gender with such a unique feature of cleansing a living organism. They insisted that the phenomenon was created by God, which means that it cannot be dirty and unclean.

It is wrong to forbid a woman to visit the temple during her menstruation, based on the opinion of strict Orthodoxy. Careful and in-depth study of the church and modern solution Theological conferences found a common opinion that the taboo on visiting holy places during the critical days of a woman is already morally obsolete views.

Nowadays, there is even a condemnation of people who are categorically tuned and rely on the old foundations. They are often equated with adherents of myths and superstitions.

It is possible or impossible to go to the temple on critical days: what to do in the end

Women can enter the church any day. Considering the opinion of the majority of church ministers, women can attend church on critical days. However, it would be preferable during this period to refuse to conduct such sacred rites as weddings and baptisms. If possible, it is better not to touch icons, crosses and other shrines. Such a ban is not strict and should not offend women's pride.

The Church calls on women on such days to refuse Communion, with the exception of long and serious illnesses.

Now one can often hear from priests that one should not pay special attention to the natural processes of the body, because only sin defiles a person.

The physiological process of menstruation, granted by God and nature, should not interfere with belief and excommunicate a woman from the church, even temporarily. It is not right to expel a woman from the temple just because she is going through a monthly physiological process, from which she herself suffers, regardless of her will.

About visiting the mosque during menstruation by Muslims

Most Islamic scholars are convinced that women should not go to the mosque during their period. But this does not apply to everyone. Some representatives believed that no such prohibition should exist. It should be noted that even a negative attitude towards visiting the mosque by women during menstruation does not apply to extreme cases when the need is great and undeniable. Out of discussion is the situation when a woman defiles a mosque with her secretions in a direct, physical sense. The strictest prohibition is indeed imposed on such behavior. However, women are allowed to attend Eid prayers.

Attitudes of other religions

In Buddhism, there is no prohibition for women to visit the datsan during the period of menstruation. In Hinduism, on the contrary, going to the temple on critical days is extremely unacceptable.

Questions and answers frequently asked by beginning Christians.

35 short FAQs for beginner Christians about the temple, candles, notes, etc.

1. How should a person prepare to go to the temple?

To prepare for the morning visit, you need to prepare as follows:
Rising from bed, give thanks to the Lord, who gave you the opportunity to spend the night in peace and extended your days for repentance. Wash yourself, stand in front of the icon, light the lampada (from a candle) so that it evokes a prayerful spirit in you, put your thoughts in order, forgive everyone, and only then proceed to reading the prayer rule ( morning prayers from the Prayer Book). Then subtract one chapter from the Gospel, one from the Apostle, and one kathisma from the Psalter, or one psalm if time is short. At the same time, it must be remembered that it is better to read one prayer with sincere contrition of the heart than the whole rule with the thought of how to finish it all as soon as possible. Beginners can use an abbreviated prayer book, gradually adding one prayer at a time.

Before leaving, say:
I deny you, Satan, your pride and your service, and unite with you, Christ Jesus our God, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Cross yourself and calmly go to the temple, not being afraid of what a person will do to you.
Walking down the street, cross the road in front of you, saying to yourself:
Lord, bless my ways and keep me from all evil.
On the way to the temple, read a prayer to yourself:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

2. How should a person who decides to go to church dress?

Women should not come to church in trousers, short skirts, with bright makeup on their faces, lipstick on their lips is unacceptable. The head must be covered with a headscarf or scarf. Men must remove their hats before entering the church.

3. Can I eat before visiting the temple in the morning?

According to the charter it is impossible, it is done on an empty stomach. Retreats are possible due to weakness, with self-reproach.

4. Is it possible to enter the temple with bags?

If there is a need, you can. Only when a believer approaches Communion should the bag be put aside, since during Communion the hands are folded crosswise on the chest.

5. How many prostrations should be made before entering the temple and how to behave in the temple?

Before entering the temple, having previously crossed yourself, bow three times, looking at the image of the Savior, and pray for the first bow:
God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
To the second bow:
God, cleanse my sins and have mercy on me.
To the third:
I have sinned without number, Lord, forgive me.
Then do the same, entering the doors of the temple, bow on both sides, saying to yourself:
Forgive me brothers and sisters stand reverently in one place, without pushing anyone, and listen to the words of the prayer.
If a person comes to the temple for the first time, then he needs to look around, notice what more experienced believers are doing, where their eyes are directed, in what places of worship and in what way they make the sign of the cross and bow down.
It is unacceptable during the service to behave as if in a theater or a museum, that is, with your head up, look at the icons and clergy.
During prayer, one must stand reverently, with a repentant feeling, slightly lowering his shoulders and head, as the guilty stand before the king.
If you do not understand the words of the prayer, then say the Jesus Prayer to yourself with contrition of heart:
Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Try to make the sign of the cross and prostrations with everyone at the same time. Remember that the Church is the earthly Heaven. Praying to your Creator, do not think of anything earthly, but only sigh and pray for your sins.

6. How long do you have to be on duty?

Service must be upheld from beginning to end. Service is not a duty, but a sacrifice to God. Will it be pleasant for the owner of the house, to whom guests have come, if they leave before the end of the holiday?

7. Is it possible to sit in the service if there is no strength to stand?

To this question St. Philaret of Moscow answered: "It is better to think about God while sitting than about standing feet." However, while reading the Gospel it is necessary to stand.

8. What is important in bowing and prayer?

Remember that the matter is not in words and bows, but in the raising of the mind and heart to God. You can say all the prayers and put down all the aforementioned bows, but not remember God at all. And, therefore, without praying, fulfill the prayer rule. Such prayer is a sin before God.

9. How to kiss the icons?

Lobyzaya St. the icon of the Savior, you should kiss the feet, the Mother of God and the saints - the hand, and the Image Not Made by Hands of the Savior and the head of John the Baptist - in the sacks.

10. What does the candle placed in front of the image symbolize?

A candle, like prosphora, is a bloodless sacrifice. Candle fire symbolizes eternity. In ancient times, in the Old Testament Church, a person who came to God sacrificed to him the inner fat and wool of a slain (killed) animal, which were placed on the altar of burnt offering. Now, when we come to the temple, we sacrifice not an animal, but a candle symbolically replacing it (preferably a wax one).

11. Does it matter what size candle you put in front of the image?

Everything depends not on the size of the candle, but on the sincerity of your heart and your capabilities. Of course, if a wealthy person puts cheap candles, then this indicates his stinginess. But if a person is poor, and his heart burns with love for God and compassion for his neighbor, then his reverent standing and fervent prayer is more pleasing to God than the most expensive candle, set with a cold heart.

12. Who and how many candles should be placed?

First of all, a candle is placed for the Feast or a revered temple icon, then for the relics of the saint, if any, in the temple, and only then for health or for peace.
For the dead, candles are placed on the eve at the Crucifixion, mentally saying:
Remember, Lord, your deceased servant (name) and forgive his sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant him the Kingdom of Heaven.
About health or in what need, candles are usually placed to the Savior, the Mother of God, the holy great martyr and healer Panteleimon, as well as those saints to whom the Lord has given special grace to heal illnesses and give help in various needs.
Putting a candle in front of your chosen saint of God, mentally say:
Holy Pleaser of God (name), pray to God for me, a sinner (oh)(or name, for whom you ask).
Then you need to come up and kiss the icon.
We must remember: in order for prayers to succeed, the saints of God must pray with faith in the power of their intercession before God, with words coming from the heart.
If you put a candle to the image of All Saints, turn your mind to the entire host of saints and the entire host of Heaven and pray:
All saints, pray to God for us.
All the saints always pray to God for us. He alone is merciful to everyone, and He is always indulgent to the requests of His saints.

13. What prayers should be done before the images of the Savior, the Mother of God and the Life-Giving Cross?

Before the image of the Savior, pray to yourself:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner (s) or I have sinned without number, Lord, have mercy on me.
Before the icon of the Mother of God, say briefly:
Holy Mother of God, save us.
Before the image of the Life-Giving Cross of Christ, say the following prayer:
We worship Your Cross, Master, and Holy Sunday We praise yours.
And after that bow to the Holy Cross. And if you stand before the image of Christ our Savior or the Mother of God, or the saints of God with humility and warm faith, then you will receive what you ask.
For where there is an image, there is the archetypal grace.

14. Why is it customary to put candles for the repose at the Crucifixion?

The cross with the Crucifix stands on the eve, that is, on the table for commemoration of the dead. Christ took upon Himself the sins of the whole world, the original sin - Adam's sin - and through His death, through the Blood that was shed innocently on the Cross (since Christ had no sin), reconciled the world with God the Father. Beyond this, Christ is the bridge between being and non-being. You can see on the eve, in addition to burning candles, also food. This is a very old Christian tradition. In ancient times, there were so-called agapies - meals of love, when Christians who came to worship, after it ended, all together consumed what they brought with them.

15. For what purpose and what products can be put on the eve?

Usually on the eve they put bread, biscuits, sugar, everything that does not contradict fasting (as there may be a fast day). You can also donate lamp oil, Cahors, on the eve, which will then go for the communion of believers. All this is brought and left for the same purpose with which a candle is placed on the eve - to commemorate their dead relatives, acquaintances, friends, not yet glorified ascetics of piety.
For the same purpose, a note of commemoration is also submitted.
It should be firmly remembered that the offering must come from a pure heart and a sincere desire to make a sacrifice to God for the repose of the soul of the commemorated person and must be obtained from one’s labor, and not stolen or acquired by deceit or other cunning.

16. What is the most important commemoration for the departed?

The most important thing is the commemoration of the deceased on the proskomedia, for the particles taken out of the prosphora are immersed in the Blood of Christ and cleansed by this great sacrifice.

17. How to submit a note of commemoration at the proskomedia? Is it possible to commemorate the sick at the proskomedia?

Before the start of the service, you need to go to the candle counter, take a piece of paper and write as follows:

About repose

Andrew
Mary
Nicholas

Custom

Thus, the completed note will be submitted for proskomedia.

About health

B. Andrey
ml. Nicholas
Nina

Custom

In the same way, a note on health is submitted, including those who are sick.

A note can be submitted in the evening, indicating the date on which the commemoration is expected.
At the top of the note, do not forget to draw an eight-pointed cross, and at the bottom it is desirable to attribute: "and all Orthodox Christians." If you want to remember spiritual person, then his name is placed first.

18. What should I do if, while standing at a prayer service or other divine service, I did not hear the name that I filed for commemoration?

It happens that the clergy are reproached: they say, not all the notes were read or not all the candles were lit. And they don't know what to do. Judge not lest ye be judged. You came, brought - everything, your duty is fulfilled. And as the priest does, so it will be asked of him!

19. What is the commemoration of the dead for?

The thing is that the dead cannot pray for themselves. It must be done for them by someone else alive today. Thus, the souls of people who repented before death, but did not have time to bear the fruits of repentance, can only be delivered by intercession for them before the Lord from living relatives or friends and by virtue of the prayers of the Church.
The Holy Fathers and teachers of the Church agree that it is possible for sinners to be freed from torment and that prayers and almsgiving are beneficial in this respect, especially church prayers, and predominantly a bloodless sacrifice, that is, commemoration at the Liturgy (proskomedia).
“When all the people and the Holy Council,” asks St. John Chrysostom, - stand with outstretched hands to heaven, and when terrible sacrifice how can we not propitiate God by praying for them (the dead)? But this is only about those who died in the faith” (St. John Chrysostom. Conversation on the last to Philp. 3, 4).

20. Is it possible to enter the name of a suicide or an unbaptized person in a memorial note?

It is impossible, since persons deprived of a Christian burial are usually deprived of church prayers.

21. How should you behave when you incense?

When burning, you need to bow your head, as if you are receiving the Spirit of Life, and say the Jesus Prayer. At the same time, one should not turn one's back to the altar - this is the mistake of many parishioners. You just need to turn around a little.

22. What moment is considered the end of the morning service?

The end, or completion, of the morning service is the exit of the priest with the Cross. This moment is called a break. During the holidays, believers approach the Cross, kiss it and the priestly hand holding the Cross as its footstool. Moving away, you need to bow to the priest. Pray to the Cross:
I believe, Lord, and worship the Honest and Life-Giving Cross Yours, as on Him did ecu salvation in the midst of the Earth.

23. What do you need to know about the use of prosphora and holy water?

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, when you come home, prepare a meal of prosphora and holy water on a clean tablecloth.
Before eating a meal, say a prayer:
Lord my God, may Your holy gift and Your holy water be for the remission of my sins, for the enlightenment of my mind, for the strengthening of my spiritual and bodily strength, for the health of my soul and body, for the subjugation of my passions and infirmities through Your infinite mercy through the prayers of the Most Pure Your Mother and all Your saints. Amen.
Prosphora is taken over a plate or a blank sheet of paper so that the holy crumbs do not fall to the floor and are not trampled on, for prosphora is the holy bread of Heaven. And it must be accepted with the fear of God and humility.

24. How are the feasts of the Lord and His saints celebrated?

The feasts of the Lord and His saints are celebrated spiritually, with a pure soul and an undefiled conscience, obligatory attendance at church. At will, believers order thanksgiving prayers in honor of the Feast, bring flowers to the icon of the Feast, distribute alms, confess and take communion.

25. How to order a prayer service for memorial and thanksgiving?

A prayer service is ordered by submitting a note, drawn up accordingly. The rules for designing a custom prayer service are posted at the candle counter.
In different churches, there are certain days when prayers are performed, including blessings of water.
At the prayer service for water, you can consecrate a cross, an icon, candles. At the end of the prayer service for water, believers with reverence and prayer take holy water and take it daily on an empty stomach.

26. What is the sacrament of repentance and how to prepare for confession?

The Lord Jesus Christ said, addressing His disciples: Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.(Matthew 18:18). And in another place the Savior breathed and said to the apostles: Receive the Holy Spirit. To whom you forgive sins, they will be forgiven, on whom you leave, they will remain (Jn. 20, 22-23).
The apostles, fulfilling the will of the Lord, transferred this power to their successors - the pastors of the Church of Christ, and to this day everyone who believes in Orthodoxy and confesses sincerely before Orthodox priest his sins can receive permission, forgiveness, their complete remission through his prayer.
This is the essence of the sacrament of repentance.
A person who is accustomed to watch over the purity of his heart and the neatness of his soul cannot live without repentance. He is waiting and longing for the next confession, like a parched earth waiting for life-giving moisture.
Imagine for a moment a man who has been washing off the bodily dirt all his life! So the soul requires washing, and what would happen if there were no sacrament of repentance, this healing and cleansing “second baptism”. The accumulated sins and sins that have not been removed from the conscience (not only major ones, but many minor ones as well) burden it so that a person begins to feel some kind of unusual fear, it begins to seem to him that something bad must happen to him; then suddenly he falls into some kind of nervous breakdown, irritation, feels general anxiety, does not have internal firmness, ceases to control himself. Often he himself does not understand the reasons for everything that happens, and it is that there are unconfessed sins on the conscience of a person. By the grace of God, these mournful sensations remind us of them, so that we, puzzled by such a plight of our soul, come to the realization of the need to expel all the poison from it, that is, we turn to St. the sacrament of repentance, and thus would be delivered from all those torments that await after the Last Judgment of God every sinner who has not been cleansed here, in this life.
Almost the entire sacrament of repentance is performed as follows: first, the priest prays with everyone who wants to confess. Then he makes a brief reminder of the most common sins, talks about the meaning of confession, about the responsibility of the confessor and that he stands before the Lord Himself, and the priest is only a witness to his mysterious conversation with God, and that the deliberate concealment of any sins aggravates the guilt. penitent.
Then those already confessing, one at a time, approach the lectern, on which they lie holy gospel and the Cross, bow to the Cross and the Gospel, stand in front of the lectern, bowing their heads or kneeling (the latter is not necessary), and begin to confess. It is useful at the same time to draw up a rough plan for yourself - what sins to confess, so as not to forget later in confession; but it will be necessary not only to read from a piece of paper about your ulcers, but with a sense of guilt and repentance to open them before God, take them out of your soul, like some nasty snakes, and get rid of them with a feeling of disgust. (Compare this list of sins with those lists that will keep evil spirits at ordeals, and note: the more thoroughly you convict yourself, the fewer pages will be found in those demonic writings.) At the same time, of course, each extraction of such an abomination and bringing it into the light will be accompanied by some sense of shame, but you know for sure: The Lord Himself and His servant, the priest who confesses you, no matter how disgusting your inner sinful world may be, they only rejoice when you resolutely renounce it; in the soul of a priest there is only joy for the repentant. Any priest after a sincere confession is even more disposed to the confessor, much closer and more caring begins to relate to him.

27. Does repentance erase the memory of past sins?

The answer to this question is given in an essay on the Gospel theme - "The Prodigal Son".
“... He got up and went to his father. And when he was still far away, his father saw him and took pity; and, running, fell on his neck and kissed him.
The son said to him: “Father! I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” And the father said to his servants: “Bring the best clothes and dress him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring a fattened calf and slaughter it; let us eat and be merry!” (Luke 15:20-23.)
The feast ends in the house of a good, merciful father. The sounds of jubilation subside, the invited guests disperse. Yesterday's prodigal son leaves the hall of the feast, still full of the sweet feeling of love and forgiveness of his father.
Outside the door, he meets with his older brother standing outside. In his eyes - condemnation, almost indignation.
The heart of the younger brother sank; joy disappeared, the sounds of the feast died out, the recent, difficult past rose before the eyes ...
What can he say to his brother in justification?
Isn't his indignation justified? Did he deserve this feast, this new clothes, this golden ring, these kisses and forgiveness of his father? After all, quite recently, quite recently...
And the head of the younger brother bows low before the stern, condemning gaze of the elder: the still quite fresh wounds of the soul ache, ache...
With a look begging for mercy, the prodigal son falls on his knees before his elder brother.
“Brother... Forgive me... I didn’t make this feast... And I didn’t ask my father for this new clothes, and shoes, and this ring... I didn’t even call myself a son anymore, I only asked to accept me into mercenaries ... Your condemnation of me is just, and there is no excuse for me. But listen to me, and perhaps you will understand the mercy of our father...
What are these new clothes covering now?
Here, look, the traces of these terrible (mental) wounds. You see: there was no healthy place on my body; there were continuous ulcers, spots, festering wounds (Is. 1, 6).
They are now closed and “softened by the oil” of the father’s mercy, but they still hurt excruciatingly when touched and, it seems to me, they will always hurt ...
They will constantly remind me of that fateful day when, with a callous soul, full of conceit and proud self-confidence, I broke with my father, demanding my part of the estate, and went to that terrible land of unbelief and sin...
How happy you are, brother, that you have no memories of her, that you do not know that stench and corruption, that evil and sin that reign there. You did not experience spiritual hunger and did not know the taste of those horns that in that country have to be stolen from pigs.
Here you have preserved your strength and health. But I no longer have them ... Only the remains of them I brought back to my father's house. And it's breaking my heart right now.
Who did I work for? Who did I serve? But all the forces could be given to serve the father ...
You see this precious ring on my sinful, already weak hand. But what I wouldn’t give for the fact that these hands did not have traces of the dirty work that they did in the land of sin, for the knowledge that they always worked only for their father ...
Ah, brother! You always live in the light and you will never know the bitterness of darkness. You don't know the things that go on there. You have not met closely with those who have to deal with there, you have not touched the dirt that those who live there cannot avoid.
You do not know, brother, the bitterness of regrets: what did the strength of my youth go to? What are the days of my youth dedicated to? Who will return them to me? Oh, if life could be started all over again!
Do not envy, brother, this new garment of the father's mercy, without it the torments of memories and fruitless regrets would be unbearable ...
And do you envy me? After all, you are rich in wealth, which you may not notice, and happy with happiness, which you may not feel. You don't know what irretrievable loss is, the consciousness of wasted wealth and ruined talents. Oh, if it were possible to return all this and bring it back to the father!
But the estate and talents are given out only once in a lifetime, and you can’t get your strength back, and time has gone irrevocably ...
Do not be surprised, brother, at the mercy of the father, his condescension to prodigal son, his desire to cover the miserable rags of the sinful soul with new clothes, his hugs and kisses, reviving the soul devastated by sin.
Now the feast is over. Tomorrow I will return to work and work in father's house next to you. You, as the elder and blameless, will rule and guide me. I like the work of a junior. I need her. These dishonored hands deserve no other.
These new clothes, these shoes and this ring will also be removed before the time: in them it will be indecent for me to perform menial work.
During the day we will work together, then you can with a calm heart and with a clear conscience relax and have fun with your friends. And I?..
Where will I go from my memories, from regrets about wasted wealth, ruined youth, lost strength, scattered talents, soiled clothes, about yesterday's insult and rejection of my father, from thoughts about gone to eternity and forever lost opportunities? .. "

28. What does Communion of the Holy Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ mean?

If you do not eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you (John 6:53).
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him(John 6:56).
With these words, the Lord pointed out the absolute necessity for all Christians to participate in the sacrament of the Eucharist. The sacrament itself was instituted by the Lord at the Last Supper.
“... Jesus took bread and, having blessed, broke it and, distributing it to the disciples, said:
Take, eat, this is My Body. And he took the cup and, giving thanks, gave it to them and said: Drink from it all, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.» (Mt. 26, 26-28).
As the Holy Church teaches, a Christian, accepting St. Communion is mysteriously united with Christ, for in every particle of the fragmented Lamb the Whole Christ is contained.
Immeasurable is the significance of the sacrament of the Eucharist, the comprehension of which surpasses our reason.
It ignites the love of Christ in us, elevates the heart to God, engenders virtues in it, restrains the attack of the dark force on us, grants strength against temptations, revitalizes the soul and body, heals them, gives them strength, returns virtues - restores that purity of soul in us. which was with the original Adam before the fall.
In his reflections on the Divine Liturgy, ep. Seraphim Zvezdinsky, there is a description of the vision of an ascetic elder, which vividly characterizes the significance for the Christian of Communion of the Holy Mysteries. The ascetic saw “... a sea of fire, the waves of which rose and churned, presenting a terrible sight. On the opposite bank stood a beautiful garden. From there came the singing of birds, the fragrance of flowers spilled.
The ascetic hears a voice: Cross this sea". But there was no way to go. For a long time he stood thinking about how to cross, and again he hears a voice: “ Take the two wings that the Divine Eucharist gave: one wing is the Divine Flesh of Christ, the second wing is His Life-Giving Blood. Without them, no matter how great the feat, it is impossible to reach the Kingdom of Heaven».
As writes about. Valentin Sventsitsky: “The Eucharist is the basis of that real unity that is tea in the universal Resurrection, for both in the transubstantiation of the Gifts and in our Communion is the guarantee of our salvation and Resurrection, not only spiritual, but also bodily.”
Elder Parthenius of Kyiv once, in a reverent feeling of fiery love for the Lord, repeated the prayer in himself for a long time: “Lord Jesus, live in me and let me live in You,” and he heard a quiet, sweet voice: Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood abides in Me and Az in him.
So, if repentance cleanses us from the filthiness of our soul, then the Communion of the Body and Blood of the Lord will infuse us with grace and prevent the return of the evil spirit, expelled by repentance, into our soul.
But it should be firmly remembered that, no matter how necessary the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ is for us, we should not proceed to it without first cleansing ourselves with confession.
The Apostle Paul writes: “Whoever eats this Bread or drinks the Cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord.
Let a man test himself, and thus let him eat from Bread this and drink from the cup this.
For whoever eats and drinks unworthily, he eats and drinks condemnation to himself, not considering the Body of the Lord. That is why many of you are weak and sick, and many die” (1 Cor. 11:27-30).

29. How many times a year should one take communion?

The Monk Seraphim of Sarov commanded the Diveyevo sisters:
“It is inadmissible to confess and commune at all fasts and, in addition, the twelfth and major holidays: the more often, the better - without tormenting yourself with the thought that you are unworthy, and you should not miss the opportunity to use the grace bestowed by the communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ as often as possible.
The grace bestowed by communion is so great that no matter how unworthy and no matter how sinful a person is, but only in a humble consciousness of his great sinfulness will he come to the Lord, who redeems all of us, even from head to toe covered with ulcers of sins, then he will be cleansed by the grace of Christ, become more and more bright, completely enlightened and saved.
It is very good to receive communion both on the days of your name day and on birthdays, and for spouses on the day of their marriage.

30. What is unction?

No matter how carefully we try to remember and write down our sins, it may happen that a significant part of them will not be said at confession, some will be forgotten, and some are simply not realized and not noticed, due to our spiritual blindness.
In this case, the Church comes to the aid of the penitent with the sacrament of Unction, or, as it is often called, "unction." This sacrament is based on the instructions of the Apostle James - the head of the first Jerusalem Church:
“Is any of you sick, let him call for the elders of the Church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him” (James 5:14-15).
Thus, in the sacrament of the Unction of the Unction, sins are forgiven us that are not said at confession due to ignorance or forgetfulness. And since sickness is a consequence of our sinful state, liberation from sin often leads to healing of the body.
At present, during Great Lent, all Christians zealous for salvation take part in three sacraments at once: Confession, Consecration of the Unction, and Communion of the Holy Mysteries.
For those Christians who, for whatever reason, could not take part in the sacrament of the Unction of the Unction, the Optina elders Barsanuphius and John are given the following advice:
“What creditor can you find rather than God, who knows even that which was not?
So, lay on Him the account of the sins you have forgotten and say to Him:
“Lord, since it is a sin to forget one’s sins, I have sinned in everything to You, the One Who Knows the Heart. Forgive me for everything according to Your love of mankind, for it is there that the splendor of Your glory is manifested, when You do not repay sinners according to sins, for You are glorified forever. Amen".

31. How often should I go to the temple?

The duties of a Christian include attending the temple on Saturdays and Sundays, and always on holidays.
The establishment and observance of holidays is necessary for our salvation, they teach us the true Christian faith, excite and nourish in us, in our hearts, love, reverence and obedience to God. But they also go to church to perform rites, rituals, in order to simply pray, when time and opportunities allow.

32. What does attending the temple mean for a believer?

Each visit to the temple for a Christian is a holiday, if the person is truly a believer. According to the teachings of the Church, when visiting the temple of God, there is a special blessing and success in all the good undertakings of a Christian. Therefore, it should be done so that at this moment there is peace in the soul and order in clothes. We don't just go to church. Having humbled ourselves, our soul and heart, we come to Christ. Precisely to Christ, who gives us the good in relation to us, which we must earn by our behavior and inner disposition.

33. What divine services are performed daily in the Church?

In the name of Holy Trinity- Father and Son and Holy Spirit - Holy Orthodox Christian church daily performs in the temples of God evening, morning and afternoon services, following the example of the holy Psalmist, testifying about himself: “Evening and morning and at noon I will implore and cry, and He (the Lord) will hear my voice” (Ps. 54, 17-18 ). Each of these three services is composed, in turn, of three parts: the evening service - it consists of the Ninth Hour, Vespers and Compline; morning - from the Midnight Office, Matins and the First Hour; daytime - from the Third Hour, the Sixth Hour and the Divine Liturgy. Thus, nine services are formed from the evening, morning, and afternoon services of the Church: the Ninth Hour, Vespers, Compline, Midnight Office, Matins, the First Hour, the Third Hour, the Sixth Hour, and the Divine Liturgy, just as, according to the teaching of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite, from three ranks of Angels are formed nine faces, day and night glorifying the Lord.

34. What is fasting?

Fasting is not only some changes in the composition of food, that is, the rejection of fast food, but mainly repentance, bodily and spiritual abstinence, purification of the heart through fervent prayer.
Saint Barsanuphius the Great says:
“Bodily fasting means nothing without spiritual fasting. inner man which consists of protecting oneself from the passions. This fast is pleasing to God and will reward for you the lack of bodily fasting (if you are weak in body).
The same is said of St. John Chrysostom:
“Whoever limits fasting to one abstinence from food, he greatly dishonors him. Not only the mouth should fast - no, let the eye, and hearing, and hands, and feet, and our whole body fast.
As writes about. Alexander Elchaninov: “There is a fundamental misunderstanding of fasting in hostels. It is not fasting in itself that is important as not eating this or that, or as depriving oneself of something in the form of punishment - fasting is only a proven way to achieve the desired results - through exhaustion of the body to reach the refinement of spiritual mystical abilities darkened by the flesh, and thus facilitate your approach to God.
Fasting is not hunger. A diabetic, a fakir, a yogi, a prisoner, and just a beggar are starving. Nowhere in the services of Great Lent is Lent isolated in our usual sense, that is, as non-eating of meat, etc. Everywhere there is one call: “Let us fast, brethren, bodily; let us fast also spiritually.” Consequently, fasting only then has a religious meaning when it is combined with spiritual exercises. Fasting equals refinement. A normal zoologically healthy person is inaccessible to influences external forces. Fasting shakes this physical well-being of a person, and then he becomes more accessible to the influences of another world, his spiritual filling goes on.
According to ep. Herman, "fasting is pure abstinence in order to restore the lost balance between body and spirit, in order to restore to our spirit its supremacy over the body and its passions."

35. What prayers are performed before and after eating food?

Prayers before eating food:
Our Father, Who is ecu in heaven! Yes, shine your name yes come Your kingdom Thy will be done, as in heaven and on earth. Give us our daily bread today; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Virgin Mother of God, rejoice, Blessed Mary, the Lord is with you; Blessed are You in women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, as the Savior gave birth to the ecu of our souls.
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. bless.

Prayers after eating food:
We thank Thee, Christ our God, O sated ecu us of Thy earthly blessings; do not deprive us of Your Heavenly Kingdom, but as if in the midst of Your disciples came ecu, Savior, give them peace, come to us and save us.
It is worthy to eat as if truly blessed Theotokos, Blessed and Immaculate and Mother of our God. The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, without the corruption of God the Word, who gave birth to the real Mother of God, we magnify Thee.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

36. Why is the death of the body necessary?

As Metropolitan Anthony Blum writes: “In a world that human sin has made monstrous, death is the only way out.
If our world of sin were fixed as unchanging and eternal, it would be hell. Death is the only thing that allows the earth, along with suffering, to escape from this hell.”
Bishop Arkady Lubyansky says: “Death for many is a means of salvation from spiritual death. For example, children dying in early age know no sin.
Death reduces the amount of total evil on earth. What would life be like if there were eternally murderers - Cains, betrayers of the Lord - Judas, people-beasts - Nero and others?
Therefore, the death of the body is not “absurd”, as the people of the world say about it, but is necessary and expedient.

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Priests do not have a clear answer to the question of whether it is possible to go to church with menstruation. Some argue that it is possible to attend a service in the temple without participating in the holy sacraments, others say that it is better to refuse to attend during critical days.

Why, during menstruation, you can’t go to the temple, where did this ban come from and how to do it right. To understand the question of whether it is possible to attend church with menstruation, we must familiarize ourselves with the point of view of the Holy Fathers and Holy Scripture. These are two important authorities for the Orthodox Christian.

In the Old Testament, you can find exact reasons why parishioners should refrain from attending church.

Do not go to the temple if:

The person is suffering from a serious illness.
The woman or the man is not pure.
The man touched the dead the day before.

Diseases in which it is not allowed to enter the church include infections, inflammation in the active phase, discharge from the urethra in men, and uterine bleeding in women.

Previously, such ailments included ulcers, leprosy, scabies, as well as all physical disorders associated with the flow of blood.

The ban on visiting the church for young mothers who have given birth to a child has survived to this day. Previously, when a boy was born, women did not enter the temple for 40 days after giving birth, and girls for 80 days. This period was required for purification.

The priest’s answer, why it’s impossible to go to the temple with menstruation, is usually based on the fact that you can’t shed blood in the shrine. Only one sacred blood can be present in the temple - the holy gifts, the Body and Blood of Christ.

If a person is accidentally injured, then he needs to go out and outside the temple to stop the bleeding. If blood gets on the floor, icons or books, the Holy Monastery is considered desecrated, so it needs to be re-consecrated, certain prayers must be read.

Why they don’t go to church and a monastery with menstruation is connected with the opinion that this process was given to all women for the sinful fall of Eve, our ancestor, and inside the temple, of course, there should be nothing sinful.

According to other versions, during menstruation, a dead egg is released, and this, to some extent, is considered death. The presence of deadly objects in the church is also not allowed.

Not only during menstruation it is impossible to go to the temple, it is forbidden to do it to those people who had physical contact with the deceased, for example, they prepared him for burial, washed him.

Interesting! Book of Leviticus old testament narrates that during the period of bleeding, that is, during menstruation, not only wives are considered unclean, but also any person who dares to touch them.

Since ancient times, women were forbidden to go to church with bleeding, communicate with other people, touch them.

New Testament

The coming of Jesus radically changed the opinion about whether it is possible to go to church with menstruation. AT Holy Scripture there is evidence of a woman touching the Savior, suffering from bleeding for 12 years, which the Jews considered unacceptable.

After touching the clothes of Jesus Christ, as you know, she was cured, while the Lord felt how healing power came out of him.

Upon learning that an “unclean” woman had touched him, He did not reproach her for what she had done, but, on the contrary, encouraged her, urged her to strengthen her faith.

Need to know! Jesus in his sermons made it clear that people with sinful thoughts coming from the heart, evil intentions are considered defiled, and he did not consider bodily impurity a sin.

The Holy Fathers, when asked if it was possible to go to church with menstruation, gave a completely different answer. They considered the processes that occur during menstruation to be natural, bestowed on women by the Almighty. This is a very important period for female body associated with the possibility of prolonging the human race.

George Dvoeslov also argued that spiritual purity plays a paramount role, therefore he did not consider it a sin to go to church during menstruation. The first Christian women, according to traditions and canons, independently made a decision about visiting the temple.

Some of them, finding it difficult to answer whether it was possible to enter the church during menstruation, listened to the service in the porch, while others went in, but did not touch anything sacred. There were such Christians who believed that apart from sin, nothing could separate them from God. They were supported by many theologians, such as Gregory the Great, who calls not to condemn wives and virgins who go to church during menstruation, confess, take communion.

It is important to know! What helps the Mother of God in Cyprus

This doctrine lasted until the seventeenth century. After that, the question of whether it is possible for women to attend church during menstruation again remained open.

Modern look

Nowadays, more and more believing Christian women are wondering whether it is possible to go to church, as well as
Is it possible to confess and receive communion? The opinion of the clergy may be different, so it is better to ask your spiritual mentor about this.

The priest's answer will help finally resolve this dilemma. Some clergy allow you to come to worship, pray calmly and leave without touching anything.

Undoubtedly, when considering whether it is possible to go to the temple during critical days, confess and take communion, it is better to be guided by one's own spiritual aspirations and the opinion of the clergyman.

We must not forget that every person will still answer to God for all his sins. At the same time, there are situations when a person simply needs God's help, then all conventions fade into the background. This applies to women suffering from uterine bleeding who wish to turn to God with a request for healing.

Unfortunately, sometimes medicine is powerless, doctors are not able to stop the flow, and treatment remains ineffective. At this moment, the sick decide to turn to the Almighty with a prayer.

If a woman feels that she will soon give her soul to God, is it possible for her to go to church with her period? Of course yes! Everyone Orthodox Christian the right to take communion, to confess before his departure.

If a woman is healthy, feels great, then during critical days it is undesirable for her to do:

baptism,
communion,
wedding.

The sacrament of these rites is to get rid of the sinful, unclean. A person is born according to church rules, therefore it is better to approach these sacraments spiritually and bodily cleansed. Of course, modern hygiene products completely solve this problem, and many women do not even doubt whether they should go to the temple or not.

However, the clergy advise, if possible, it is better to postpone this ceremony until the woman becomes pure in both soul and body.

Useful video

Conclusion

One can talk about women's "impurity" for a very long time, but one should not forget that Jesus Christ cleansed men and women with His blood. The Lord gave us eternal, spiritual life, independent of the flesh.